Loose-leaf binder



H. M. KEHN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 12 1.922

Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

HENRY M. KEHN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

LOOSE-LEAF EBINDER.

Application filed October 12,1922. Serial No. 593,977.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY M. KEEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles. in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements'in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders or books.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive form of binding means for securing, temporarily, pages or leaves in a book or back structure. Another object is to provide a loose leaf binder in which there are but few parts all of substantial construction and which may be readily assembled in leaf holding position. and may be readily detached or separated to release the leaves.

Another object is to provide a loose leaf binder of such construction and form that it will resemble from backbone view any ordinary printed book on a library or bookcase shelf.

. Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1. is a perspective showing the binder with the covers opened and illustrating the attachment of the leaves to the binder.

' Fig. 2 is a cross section through the bind ing means.

Fig. 3 is a backbone pers ective of the closed book.

, Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing thekey holding device.

Fig. 5 is a plan of one of the detached leaf bows.

In its present embodiment the invention consists of a backbone element 2 which, for inexpensive construction, may be made of wood and is in the form of a strip of suitable length with an outer back face 3 somewhat rounded as is also the inner face 4 though it is to be understood that the back bone may be of any suitable cross section.

The inner face of the backbone is longitudinally channeled in the form of a dovetail groove. 5 and'this is designed to receive a longitudinally extending wedge or key 6 with snugly sliding fit. The key and the backbone may I be of substantially equal length, and after the key has been inserted it is prevented from longitudinal movement by any suitable means, as for instance an adjustable screw hook 7 which may have its shank 8 screwed into the end of the backbone 2 so that thetransverse claw of the hook can be swung around across the end of the. key 6. One of the retaining hooks at each end will prevent the key from dislodginent.

The backbone may be overlapped by inside and outside flexible strips 10 by which the covers 11 are foldably attached to the' backbone along its edges. When the covers are thus applied, the exterior backbone I structure of the device will resemble or- 79 dinary printed library books so that the present binder cannot be instantly detected as a loose leaf binder and so that its nature can be disguised which is especially desirable when the binder contains checks or other valuable instruments and documents.

A feature of the invention consists of means for readily attaching loose leaves or pages 12 to the backbone and which means is shown as consisting of one or more bowlike elements 13, Fig. 5. These elements have somewhat spaced ends, one of which is bent elbow or S-shaped with the object of allowing the same to be held in firm and steady posit-ion in the backbone. The backbone is 8 shown as providedin its inner face with an inwardly extending aperture 14 into which' the plain end of a bow 13 can be readily inserted while the opposite side of the backbone is provided with a recess, slot, or pocket 15 into which. the crimped end 13*- of a bow 13 may be inserted. The pocket 15 extends in beneath the bottom of the dovetail groove 5 so that the contiguous end 13 of a bow will lie below the bottom of the dovetail groove. This enables the ready attachment and detachment of bow or bows along the backbone as may be desired, the width of each pocket 15 being substantially equal to the diameter of the wire of which a bow 13" is made so that the ring end l3 will be supported firmly in its pocket 15 and will therefore prevent looseness in play of the bow. After a suitable number of the bows have been inserted, the key 6 .is pushed into its groove and then locked by its rods 7.

Obviously, any number of the leaves 12 may be assembled in or removed from the bow or bows while the latter are removed from the backbone.

Further embodiments, modifications and changes may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention as here claimed.

hat is claimed is:

1. A loose leaf binder comprising a. backbone having a rounded outer face and a rounded. inner face and hating a longitudinally extending dovetail slot in its inner face and having transverse bow seats in its inner li'aee, bows mounted in the bow seats, one end of each bow extending under the dovetail slot, and a dovetail key slidingly mounted in the slot to hold the bows in place.

A loose leait binder comprising a backbone having a rounded outer face and a rounded inner face and having a dovetail slot in its inner tace extending from end to end and having transverse bow seats, bows mounted in. the seats, one end 01 each bow being crimped and extending back of the dovetail slot, and a dovetail slidingly mount-- ed in the slot t-ohold the bows in place, the

erimped ends of said bows fitting in the seats to hold the bows from tipping sideways.

3. A loose leaf binder comprising a backbone having a rounded outer face and a rounded inner face and having a dovetail slot in its inner face extending from end to end and having transverse bow seats, bows mounted in the seats, one end of each bow being crimped and extending back of the dovetail slot, a dovetail slidingly mounted in the slotto hold the bows in place, the eriinped ends of said bows fitting in the seats to hold the bows from tipping sideways, and adjustable screw hooks screwed into the ends of the backbone and adapted to turn against the ends of the, dovetail to hold the dovetail in place.

l. A loose leaf binder comprising a backbone having a rounded outer face and a rounded inner face and having a dovetail slot in its inner face extending from end to end and having transverse bow seats, bows mounted in the seats, one end of each bow being crimped and extending back of the dovetail slot, a dovetail. slidingly mounted in the slot to hold the bows in place, the crimped ends of said bows fitting in the seats to hold the bows from tipping sideways, flexible strips covering the backbone, and covers attached to the flexible strips.

in testimony whereoi I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY M. KEEN. 

